The RUGBYCAN

1. England……not annointing a Captain now. 2. Ireland……just now realizing that Leo Cullen should never have been selected. 3. Wales……..The mere thought that Gavin Henson is in the Wales pool is a sad reflection of how little Warren Gatland knows. 4. Scotland……selecting Ross Ford as Captain..hmmmm not a lot of thinking in that one Andy. 5. France…..the sad thought that A. Rougerie will play 13. 6. Italy…..Jaques Bruenel should be applauded for not making the [...]

Interim coach of England has already made his first gigantic mistake after such an ilustrious start. It is obvious he is thinking too much about the captainhood. I suppose that means that Tom Wood was indeed his original thought. I’d say he’s stuck. He can’t go Hartley even as an pretender. He can’t go Palmer or Deacon either because they aren’t capable. Besides only one of those guys might start. If Lawes is back, he’s [...]

It looks like we are down to the final eight in the HC. Breaks down to three Irish Provinces, two French Clubs,one quasi English club,one Welsh quasi province and one Scotland province. This tells me something. The English have no representative. I will always think now that Sarries are South African. It also tells me that the England sides are concentrating on the English clubs because that is what is the future of the Heineken [...]

Today was a rugby day. Just two weeks before the beginning of the 6N one must verify the facts as one sees them and proselyticizes. WOW! That cannot how the word is spelled, can it? Now, remember that in the Heineken Cup, the three qualifying Irish sides are provinces, not clubs, in kind reflection of their opposition. The Ulster/Clermont derby was mediocre at best. My feeling the whole week has been Uklster and the red [...]

Winning and losing in the HC is meaningless at this point. Hurrah for Connaught, Ulster and the other Irish qualifiers. Meaningless dribble if one is thinking 6N. Before I continue with my worship of English rugby, just have a look at flyhalf. If Flood were injured and Hodgson bailed, Owen Farrell could take over the reins or what about Stephen Myler or Billy Twelvetrees. That is just a outhalf. Check it out; Danny Cipriani is [...]

1. Roger Wilson is leaving Northampton Saint because he can no longer make it as a regular and with the new IRFU player foreign qualifications logging in, Wilson can return home and possibly play for Ulster. 2. Ulster should come good in the Heineken Cup with all the foreign mercenaries. 3. Owen Farrell secured Andy Farrell a position. 4. Pretend England coach Stuart Lancaster is making the olde boys look so good there may be [...]

The midfield combination is really the jugular of the rugby team. It allows the flow of blood through the heart to the brain and rest of the body. The midfield may or may not be the most important positioning but , with the right one in place, a team is unconquerable even were it so that the side is not playing well. The rest of the 6N midfield, barring Italy and now England, are fundamentally [...]

This should be very short and to the point. The best players are flocking to the best teams much like the world of football. A couple of weeks ago, Ulster fielded a side with ten or twelve players not from Ulster. Is that a bad thing? I think the IRFU has that under control so it isn’t too bad. But they could win the HC and that would be bad for me right now. We [...]

If a person wants to follow topflight rugby all one has to do is follow England for the next two years. If England does well, Nick Mallett will be an afterthought in London. So… To start things off pay close attention to the words and actions of England coach Stuart Lancaster. I wouldn’t worry too much about Andy Farrel or Graham Rowentree or the others. The main focus should and is Lancaster. And for very [...]

I love the USA Rugby Ambassador ‘T’. He is a no nonsense guy who loves the sport more than anybody I know, and that is saying a lot for any man. I’ve been after him about the selection of the new USA rugby coach. He has been up front with me. He told me he had a chat with some of the big guns about a mate of his, All Black backrow Scott Robertson, who [...]